Saturday, February 21, 2009

Mental Midgets

I have officially given up trying to convince anyone on either side of the political fence they should work together. It is obvious to me there is no interest. The Democrats are quietly stubborn as they refuse to budge very much. It is their show right now and I can understand their less than enthusiastic efforts to reach across. I don't like it, but I understand it given how their opponents act on a day to day basis.

The Republicans are never quiet. They used to be. They used to get their way without fanfare or temper tantrums. That changed back when Ronnie and his Clown Dancers brought their adversarial mentality to the party. It has gotten to the point that no matter if they are on top or sucking hind tit, they are loud and obnoxious. When in charge, they strut and belittle anything not sanctioned by the Neocon God. When they have lost and are out for the time being, they pout and shout like bad children. And still they belittle any who would hold a different view.

I really have tried to see both sides. At one time or another I have been on both sides. And still, I am not scared to vote for either if it fits into my political perception. I also know that both parties have their less than logical foibles. Both have the capacity to allow ideology to get in the way of common sense. But now after 28 years of watching Republicans turn into a mindless angry mob, I would say the root of most our troubles can be laid at their door. Their chest pounding "go ahead cross that line" inflexibility has created more harm than good.

I have long been an advocate of finding a way to establish a viable third party. A centrist party that focuses on solutions first, ideologies second. A third party that would force the other two to not get lost in their own ideologies to the detriment of the US population. Now I will just hope that the Republican Party burns itself up with it's over the top loyalty to itself. I will hope that the more they rant and rave, their obvious party first, country second attitude will cause many of the faithful to become disillusioned and leave to find their political fix elsewhere.

So from now on I do not plan to punish myself trying to see their side. If their position cannot be calmly and civilly laid out, I will turn them off. Maybe the loss of one semi-sympathetic ear means nothing. But they continue this bullshit and this one ear going deaf may just turn into many ears going deaf. And regardless of what either side thinks about us fence sitters, we are the magic that puts them in the majority or relegates them to the minority. Neither base has the capacity to do it all for them.

So go ahead you Republicans. Throw your hissy fits. Stand in the way just to stand in the way. You are not only harming the country you are harming yourselves. Any one of you who wants my vote from now on will have to do more than say what I want to hear. I might just insist you get on your knees and beg.

Some hints on what to do in my opinion

~Stop with the slogans aimed at IQs under 90

~Stop trying to own patriotism. Your actions over the years have proven you have no right to it. Party loyalty alone is hardly Patriotism.

~Stop the fringes from running the party. You know who they are. Give them a chance to tone it down, or give them the boot.

~Stop denigrating intelligence. It makes you look as stupid as you act.

~Cut your hypocrisy to a minimum. I know this is tough for both sides. But if your party should be rewarded with ownership of anything, hypocrisy would lead the list.

~Before challenging the ethics of the Democrats, challenge your own first.

~Instead of insisting that your members in Congress follow the party line, allow them to first think of what their constituents want. Read the above suggestion if this confuses you.

~Try to think about the American people as one group instead of thinking of them as Democrats or Republicans. Many of us are neither and it would be a good idea for you to keep that in mind.

I could keep going. But what's the point? You have chosen to hear only the messages sent to you by the Party hotline. You have stopped worrying what America as a whole wants. And so, I close with my refusal to give you the time of day anymore.

12 comments:

Well said. You'll get some grief. You'll be accused of contributing to the acrimonious partisanship running rampant in Washington. You know what? Nobody is required to be nice to assholes. If a guy beats his wife, should she make an effort to be kind to him later, in an effort to keep the peace? NO. This is where the personal responsibility and accountability that the Rs have been screaming about for 30 years comes back to bite them in the ass. When you're a prick to people for a very long time, they have no desire to work with you. When you are a prick for so long and to so many that you get yourself voted into a pathetic nearly inconsequential minority, you become unnecessary. Because of your own behavior, you no longer get to play. Like a basketball player - after so many fouls, bub, you're out of the game. You can sit on the bench, you're still on the team, but you no longer get to contribute.Nice, Crummy. Very nice. Got me fired up on a Sunday morning. Thank you.

Dawn - Apparently you know human nature well. Prior to the post I had 17 follwers. Now I have 15. Will I miss them? Not really. I just do not understand why people cannot handle having their beliefs questioned, challenged, or criticized. I figure if all they can do is wallk away in a huff, then my words struck a chord.

I actually want my views challenged. Only then by my defense or lack there of can I tell if what I beleive holds water for me. A case in point is coming up in a post regarding Hate Crimes. I have been chewing hard on a verbal debate I had with friends about it and I guess an old dog can be taught to think in new ways. Anyway, thanks for the support.

BBC - We just got 34 inches of snow in 5 days. Think the garden is going to have to wait.

Bull - Actually I have been trying to get someone to help me form the Contraian Party. It has one thing on it's agenda that everyone agrees to - For every new law passed, two old laws have to be taken off the books. Our view is that ther is entirely too many laws on the books. We also feel that people rely entirely too much on laws to solve all their problems. By insituting this one basic law, more time and consderarion would be put into thinking up new ones because they would also have to lose 2 old ones.

But I might be inclined to go with your idea also. Only we call it the Bull-Crum Party. Our motto - "Leverage the right government with the right Bull-Crum".

BBC - Mainers are a resilent group. As I have said before, we are used to hard times. People make a big deal out of recycling or growing their own food, or surviving on less. Mainers have been doing it right along. The country is unforgiving, but it is beautiful and very rewarding if you can handle it. Over on the coast, well that's a different story. Over there it is a mix of hard nosed Mainers, middle income and upper income folks who would fit in in any suburb in America. But I would say over half the state lives on less than the average American. If you can even define what an "Average American" is.

Well, Crum, a few points:- I'd like to challenge your views (a little, anyway), but I've got next to no time available to blog/write these days.- I do follow your blog even though I'm not registered as a follower. For whatever that's worth.- Contrarianism is morally-neutral, so it sounds like an excellent idea, heh heh heh... Is there room in your party for a righty like me? I love the "one on, two-must-come-off" idea for legislation. It's a fine conservative approach to governing, if I do say so...* Ignatius ducks to avoid incoming stapler thrown from Maine *

Jim Hightower said it best, "This country doesn't need a third party, it needs a second party." I see it as a snake with two heads, one labeled R and the other labeled D. The "R's" have been screwing us every chance they get and the Dems have been enablers.

Politics used to be civilized, but for the last few decades the "R's" have seen civility as a sign of weakness. The people have kicked them to the curb and it's time that Obama and the Dems do the same.

El Cerdo Ignatius - I certainly laid down plenty for you to challenge. And though you are not officially a follower, your absence would be missed if you went off in a huff. But that ain't your style. On more than one occasion, you have put me in my place. And I do appreciate it that you did gently. As to the conservative thing. I really don't think you realize I am more conservative than folks give me credit for. I am just really really pissed that they hijacked the word conservatism and put it on whatever it is that passes for it now. The new American conservatism is hardly conservatism in my mind. You may not believe this, but Barry Goldwater was a man I looked up to and listened to. That I disagreed with him on some things, does not take away my admiration for someone I consider the embodiment of a conservative.

Kulkuri - I have always considered both parties different sides of the same coin. The dynamic tension usta kinda sorta worked. Now it has gotten out of hand. And now is not the time for it to happen. I definitely believe the republicans are taking exactly the wrong tack here. And doing more damage than good while doing it.

If one isn't a liberal, then by definition, they must be a conservative. The labels are kinda irrelevant, in that all politicians will vote for anything that will get them re-elected. and in that they are all alike, its no surprise most people don't bother to vote.----we have spent the last 20 years or so with the republicans (aka conservatives), and now we are starting the new Liberal cycle (aka democrats). We are now being presented the 3rd liberal congress budget offerings, and it would appear they are falling over each other to find new ways to spend money---would YOU invest your money in Bonds from a country spending over a trillion dollars more than it takes in every year??-----oops guess that makes me having a hissy fit----sorry

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CRUM

Married and finally used to the empty nest syndrome. I endeavor to put one foot in front of the other without tripping. I just recently sold my bike shop in a nearby town and am free to .................